Two-dimensional spatially ordered arrays of cobalt nanowires: Polarized SANS study

Abstract

Structural and magnetic properties of two-dimensional spatially ordered system of ferromagnetic cobalt nanowires embedded into Al2O 3 matrix have been studied using polarized small-angle neutron scattering. The small-angle scattering pattern exhibits many diffraction peaks (up to the third reflection order), which corresponds to the scattering from highly correlated hexagonal structure of pores and magnetic nanowires. A comprehensive analysis of contributions to the scattering intensity, including nonmagnetic (nuclear) contribution, magnetic contribution depending on the magnetic field, and nuclear-magnetic interference indicating the correlation between the magnetic and nuclear structures was carried out. A detailed pattern of the remagnetization of an ordered array of the magnetic nanowires has been obtained. It has been illustrated that polarized neutron scattering provides unique information inaccessible by the standard magnetometry techniques. © 2010 IOP Publishing Ltd.